April 15 is a date that has meaning to most everyone.“Tax Day”.Or more correctly, the deadline by which Income Tax filing is due each year.

But this year it also took on a new significance.April 15 was the day that ordinary, common Americans took to the streets to give voice to their displeasure with massive unrestrained spending, insane bailouts, trillion dollar deficits for a decade, confiscatory taxation, unprecedented growth in the size and scope of government, and the march of socialism and wealth transfer.

Over 550,000 people turned out at one of hundreds of “Tea Parties” staged in all 50 states.Approximately one out of every 500 human beings in the nation attended such a protest.This is hardly an insignificant event, notwithstanding the Mainstream Media’s reports to the contrary.

The Left-Loving media first sought to marginalize the Tea Party movement, calling the participants “Fringe Elements”.Then they sought to mischaracterize them as Partisan Tools of the GOP.Some went so far as to compare them to Nazis.And in the final days preceding the event – a report from Homeland Security was released, intended to instill fear that attending such a protest put one at risk of being “watched” as a potential “Domestic Terrorist”!(Particularly egregious in that DHS report was the implication that returning veterans represented a potential threat.I personally find it fascinating that while we Conservatives HONOR our returning vets, the powers that be FEAR them!)

If any were deterred… there were over half a million UN-Deterred Americans who turned out to boldly proclaim their opposition to policies which they deem harmful to our republic.

As I wrote in my “Primer on the Tea Parties”, these protests were NOT partisan, despite the best efforts of Michael Steele and the RNC to potiticize them. It was almost amusing how the GOP came back burned when they were publicly rebuffed by the ACTUAL organizers.

Michael Steele attempted to co-opt the movement in a fund-raising effort for the GOP.He received STINGING rebukes from organizers.

Numerous GOP elected officials sought a stage to speak at the Tea Parties.Organizers refused, explaining that the event was NOT partisan and they wished to prevent its being politicized.

In St Louis, it was mentioned by one of the organizers that some elected officials ARGUED that they should be given a platform.But once denied, they didn’t make an appearance!In fact the only elected official that showed up was Congressman Todd Akin, who never asked to take the stage.He was there simply to lend his PERSONAL support to the effort!

No, the Tax Day Tea Party movement is NOT organized by the GOP, by Dick Armey & Freedomworks, by Don Wildmon and the American Family Association, by the Constitution Party, by the National Socialists, or any other group.Taking inspiration from Santelli’s Chicago Board of Trade rant, several bloggers started the movement via Facebook and Twitter!

In St Louis, local blogger, Bill Hennessy contacted blogger, vlogger and local radio personality Dana Loesch following the Santelli Rant about throwing together an ad-hoc “Tea Party” protest.Out went postings on Twitter and Facebook.A Facebook event page was posted.The event was planned for the St Louis Riverfront 5 days later on February 27.

Hennessy and Loesch initially anticipated a turnout of 50 or so committed individuals.They were THRILLED when the Facebook Event Page listed over 250 confirmed attendees the day before the event.But even they were ASTOUNDED when the turnout for the day topped 1200 under the Arch in St Louis!It was the biggest “Tea Party” protest in the nation on that day.

They new they had a movement started, that couldn’t stop there.Dana Loesch of danaradio.com became one of the National Organizers for the April 15 “Tax Day Tea Party”.Along with Michael Patrick Leahy of tcotreport.com, Eric Odom of dontgomovement.com, along with a few other blogger types, the planning began for the April 15 Nationwide Event.

They established an event page on Facebook, and along with their own Twitter and Facebook pages, their personal emails, and finally a website, www.taxdayteaparty.com.

Hundreds of motivated grassroots people around the country organized their own local events, coordinating thru the Facebook, Twitter and taxdayteaparty.com websites.It was a TRUE GRASSROOTS effort.

The issues cut across party lines.There were Republicans, Independents, Libertarians, Constitution Party members, Democrats and more all participating with a common purpose:To express to Washington that they have HAD IT with the unbridled tax and spend policies, growth of government’s size and intrusion, and the threat to our rights and liberties that such a bloated government represents.

St Louisan Scott Ransom commented after the party:“We were "there," and wow, what an awesome crowd, right down to a person. There were some pierced-up Lefties standing right with me, and when I thanked them for being there, I swear one of them started to cry. She was SHOCKED. Fabulous gathering...wanna do it again like now.”

Media coverage of the Tea Parties was largely dismissive.The media and those in Washington dismiss this movement at their peril.It is strong.It is committed.It cuts across the political spectrum.It is not going away.In fact, it will probably grow larger and more powerful by the time the next Tea Parties come around.Yes, there will be more!Get ready for the LIBERTY Tea Parties on July 4!

Perhaps you have seen or heard about CNBC's Rick Santelli and his report from the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, where he called for a "Taxpayer Tea Party" in the wake of efforts to enact a new, multi-billion dollar taxpayer funded housing bailout.

Across America, millions stood up and cheered. Rick was expressing what so many have been feeling now for a long time, when it comes to out-of-control spending on the backs of hardworking U.S. taxpayers to reward the irresponsible and the corrupt: "Enough is enough!"

In St Louis, Bill Hennessy was inspired after Santelli’s rant. He contacted local Blogger/Vlogger/Radio Host Dana Loesch, and the two of them decided to organize a Tea Party at the Riverfront in St Louis.

There were phone calls, emails and some social networking activity... and 5 days later we had us a party!

Organizers originally expected maybe a turnout of 50... were THRILLED when facebook group grew to a couple of hundred confirmed attendees the day before, and were ASTOUNDED when actual attendance ultimately well exceeded 1000!

Linking up with Michael Patrick Leahy of TCOT (Top Conservatives on Twitter) and Eric Odom of the Don't Go Movement... Hennessy and Loesch then began planning the St Louis effort for the Nationwide April 15 Tax Day Tea Parties. Utilizing Twitter, Facebook, email and the occasional phone call, the movement has grown to over 300,000 participants in over 300 cities! It has a national website, www.taxdayteaparty.com.

The media has portrayed the Tea Party movement in a number of erroneous and defamatory ways. Some say they're run by the Republicans. Others say it's run by this political organization or that talk show host. In St Louis, the Tea Parties were even equated with NAZIs in the Riverfront Times! So, why don't we take a moment to clarify: What exactly IS the Tea Party Movement and what ISN'T it?

The Tea Party Movement is a non-partisan, grassroots assemblage of INDIVIDUAL Citizen Patriot Voters, who are fed up with (and who are standing up in opposition to) unrestrained runaway spending, confiscatory taxation, irresponsible bailouts and unconstitutional actions of any kind by anyone, regardless of their political affiliations. This is not a partisan effort, and EVERYONE – regardless of the letter after their name – will feel their opposition if they go along with the bailouts, the stimulus, increased tax-and-spend policies, and the unrestrained growth of government.

Contrary to some reports in the media, the Tea Parties are a grass-roots effort, planned and coordinated locally by concerned individuals and loosely associated thru social networking and other technologies. This movement is NOT a part of the Republican Party. It is NOT associated with any nationally known political or media figures.

While a number of national names and organizations have recently taken note of the Tea Party movement and have lent their support, their encouragement, or their endorsement of the Tea Party Movement… they are NOT the leaders, organizers, strategizers or planners of ANY of the Tea Parties. Some national names are even trying to capitalize on the broad appeal of the Tea Party movement by seeming riding the coattails of the movement for their own agrandizement!

So, why Tea Parties? What is hoped to accomplish? What good will they do?

"We are under no delusion that we’re going to suddenly change the world on April 15th. We do, however, understand that the original Boston Tea Party Protest only had a few hundred participants and set the movement on a path to ultimate victory against the King of England.

Back then, it wasn’t nationally known celebrities or officials calling for change. It was everyday business owners and taxpayers meeting in pubs, networking and putting together a collaborative strategy.

On April 15th, hundreds of thousands of Americans will gather in more than 360 cities across all 50 states to proclaim their lack of confidence in our Government.

Besides gathering together to show our numbers and proclaim our message, “We the People” will shake hands, network, share ideas, discuss our frustrations, let out some steam, and begin to develop new coalitions and citizen groups.

April 15th will be Historic, NOT because we instantly changed the world, but because we set in motion a machine that will offer some counterbalance to our out of control Government and eventually put it back in the hands of the people.

If you’re one of those who likes to sit around and ask “what good does it do to go to a silly Tax Day Tea Party?” Let me follow that question with a question…